


The Fair

by miss_whimsy



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, M/M, Robron Week, Village Fair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 21:02:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10049177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_whimsy/pseuds/miss_whimsy
Summary: Robert and Aaron spend some time alone during the Miffield Hall Spring Fair.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day Four of [Robron Week](http://robronweek.tumblr.com) \- Different Worlds.
> 
> This is a stand alone piece written in a universe I've been thinking of writing for a long time.
> 
> Artwork by the amazing [minglewithadingle](http://minglewithadingle.tumblr.com) / [mophasia](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mophasia/pseuds/mophasia). It's so beautiful, I'm in awe of it.

It was exceptionally hot for the third week of May; the sun beating down on Beckindale Village, welcoming the annual Miffield Hall Fair as eagerly as the villagers.

 

Robert had begged Lawrence to continue the tradition of opening up the Hall to everyone, assuring him that it was good for their relationships with their tenants, for their reputation with the locals, for the morale of the village itself. Chrissie was easier to convince, diverted by the idea of swing boats and games, and together they managed to win him over. It didn’t take long for Lawrence to see the truth of Robert’s claims either, as people began to stop him in the village to thank him for continuing the tradition.

 

The estate gates opened at eleven sharp to a stream of smiling locals - farmers, shopkeepers, families - spreading out across the grounds in their best clothes. Robert greeted Andy and Katie with a polite smile and spent a few minutes talking with Andy about Emmerdale Farm, while Katie shuffled frustratedly beside them. He walked them down to the main field, watching with amusement as Katie’s entire demeanour changed upon seeing the carousel and he let them go to enjoy their day.

 

Victoria ran up to him just after one o’clock, throwing her arms around him and laughing as he spun her in a circle. Adam followed at a more sedate pace, shaking Robert’s hand with a smile when he finally let Victoria go.

 

“Robert, this is wonderful,” she said, gesturing around the field. “A carousel. How on earth did you get one? I’ve already ridden it twice. I swear I’ve never been more excited. And Adam won a shilling on the penny roll.”

 

Robert shared a smile with Adam as Victoria continued to gush over the amusements. He promised he would join them in the tea tent later in the afternoon, waving them off to ride a swing boat.

 

He walked around the main field, greeting everyone with a friendly word until he found Liv at the coconut shy with Gabby and Jacob.

 

“I won that fair and square,” Jacob was telling the attendant, pointing at a tiny porcelain dish. 

 

“You needed to knock three off,” the man responded, folding his arms over his chest. “You only hit two.”

 

“That’s a lie,” Gabby snapped. “He hit all three. We all saw it.”

 

“What’s going on?” Robert asked, walking up next to them. “No trouble I hope.”

 

“He’s trying to cheat us,” Liv told him. “Gabby wanted that plate but he won’t hand it over. Jacob hit all three coconuts.”

 

“But it didn’t fall off the stand, did it?” The man turned his attention to Robert. “You wouldn’t want me to bend the rules just for these youngsters would you, m’lord?”

 

Robert felt Liv stiffen beside him and he stepped forward, heading her off. “How much for the dish?” 

 

He paid the exorbitant one pound that the man demanded and presented it to Jacob, to give to Gabby. “Liv will meet you by the Helter Skelter.”

 

Jacob and Gabby hurried away, Gabby squeezing Liv’s arm as she passed.

 

Robert approached the lone remaining coconut and took hold of it. He wasn’t surprised when it didn’t move. Tilting his head slightly he could see the nail that had been hammered into it through the back of the post.

 

“Every time someone hits this coconut from now on,” he said, stepping into the man’s space, “they win. Don’t try to cheat us again. You won’t like the outcome.”

 

He left the man spitting out apologies behind him and grabbed another one of the dishes from the shelf which he presented to Liv with a smile, slipping her half a crown at the same time.

 

“Thank you, Robert.”

 

“You’re welcome,” he said, offering his arm to her as they walked back across the field towards the Helter Skelter. “Where’s Aaron?”

 

“He was here earlier,” she told him with a shrug. “I think he wanted to check on one of the horses, though. You know him. Work, work, work.” 

 

Robert hummed in agreement, hiding his smile, and deposited her back with her friends before making a beeline for the stables.

  
  


He found Aaron in Midnight’s stall, his best suit jacket thrown over the door as he worked in his shirtsleeves. Robert leant against it, watching Aaron with a soft smile. He looked strong and handsome, focused on his task, the muscle of his arms visible where the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

 

“You’re supposed to be taking today off.”

 

Aaron looked up, surprised, stumbling back a step when Midnight whinnied and shifted.

 

“What are you doing in here?”   
  


“It’s my stable,” Robert pointed out. “The more pertinent question is what are you doing in here? You should be out there. Enjoying the fair with your friends.”

 

“Someone has to take care of the horses,” Aaron pointed out. “I don’t see you stepping in to help.”

 

Robert shrugged and slipped off his jacket. “I think you’re forgetting who you’re talking to. I’ve done this before.” He unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. “Who’s next?” 

 

“Lucky,” Aaron said, nodding towards the chestnut in the next stall with a smirk. “Maybe you can keep him in line.”

 

Robert laughed and grabbed a hoof pick, combs and a set of brushes, then stepped into Lucky’s stall and set to work.

 

They made quick work of the grooming, talking easily together over the partitions until every horse had been taken care of. It was only when the work was complete that they found themselves standing together without any walls between them.

 

“Won’t you be missed?” Aaron asked, sliding past Robert into the wash room to clean himself up. He rinsed his hands and arms with water from the tap, gulping down a couple of handfuls as he did so.

 

“No. I think anyone who’d miss me is too busy having fun right now.”

 

Aaron turned and nodded. “Don’t you want to be having fun?”

 

“I am having fun,” Robert assured him.

 

Aaron’s eyes flicked past Robert’s head, up towards the hayloft at the back of the barn. Robert tried and failed to hide his grin.

 

“The horses need feeding,” Aaron said. “I should do that.”   
  


“I should help you,” Robert said, still smiling. “It’ll be quicker than way.” He walked backwards through the stable as Aaron advanced on him.

 

“Quicker, yes,” Aaron agreed. “Sir.”

 

“Oh,” Robert said as his back hit the ladder to the hayloft. “I do like that.”

 

“I thought you would,” Aaron murmured, his gaze falling to Robert’s lips. 

 

“Upstairs,” Robert said firmly, before turning and climbing the ladder, collapsing back into the hay. Suddenly he felt sixteen again, waiting for Katie to finish her chores and join him, sneaking away from his father and his responsibilities. 

 

This was so much better than that, he thought as Aaron’s face appeared at the top of the ladder and he climbed up next to him. Robert caught his wrist as soon as he was close enough, pulling Aaron down on top of him. His heart skipped when Aaron laughed, and Robert rolled him over, pressing him into the hay.

 

Aaron’s hands worked open the buttons of Robert’s waistcoat, while Robert’s pulled Aaron’s shirt free of his trousers. Their noses brushed together, their eyes open and smiling as they watched each other. 

 

The waistcoat was thrown to the other side of the loft, Aaron laughing as Robert chuckled his disapproval, showing it with a nip to Aaron’s collarbone. The laughter turned to moans when Robert rocked against him, pushing his growing erection against Aaron, finding him already hard.

 

“Aaron,” Robert gasped, moving back just enough to slide his hand between them and work open the front of Aaron’s trousers. 

 

“Robert.” Aaron gripped his shoulder, pressing up against his hand. “Please.”

 

“I’ve been thinking about this all week,” Robert said against Aaron’s ear, shaking slightly as he took Aaron’s length in hand and started to stroke him slowly. “Not here. But today. Sneaking off from the fair. I’ve missed you.”

 

Aaron arched up, eyelids fluttering as Robert worked his magic. He slid his fingers into Robert’s hair, tugging on the golden locks until Robert was kissing him again, as though they’d never been apart.

  
  


They lay together afterwards, catching their breath. Robert stared at the ceiling, trying to convince himself he wouldn’t rather be staring at Aaron. His fingers twitched with the effort not to reach out and take Aaron’s hand.

 

Aaron, always the braver, made the move for him, lacing their fingers together and raising Robert’s hand to his lips.

 

“You’re thinking very loudly,” he told Robert with a shy smile. “It’s not always the end of the world afterwards.”

 

It felt that way, though. Snatched seconds of peace amongst the chaos of Robert’s mind; what he wanted constantly at odds with what he was allowed. 

 

“I wish it could always be like this,” he whispered, sharing a secret he thought he never would. “Just us, you know?”

 

Aaron’s hand tightened around his. “I know.”

 

 


End file.
